Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
741. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm that three trees per hectare is all that is being considered with regard to tree planting in the new CAP 2023-2027; his views on whether this will assist Ireland in meetings its climate change commitments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58253/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSignificant tree planting measures are proposed within Ireland’s draft CAP Strategic Plan.
The proposed Agri-Environment Climate Measure contains options for planting trees in rows, groups or parkland, including the option of planting a tree belt for ammonia recapture adjacent to a farmyard, or planting trees on a riparian buffer adjacent to a watercourse as appropriate. Over 50,000 farmers are expected to participate in the scheme.
The Eco-Scheme will be an annual agri-environmental scheme under the next CAP. To participate in any given year, a farmer will have to select two actions from a list of options. The proposed list includes an option to plant three trees per hectare in the year. This equates to 100 trees for a farmer with the national average farm size of just over 33 hectares per annum. There is also a proposed enhanced tree planting option where a farmer can plant double the numbers outlined above annually if they wish to solely plant trees to draw down their Eco-Scheme payment.
Regarding climate commitments, trees that occur in hedgerows or outside forests are not considered forest and are not included as part of the land use sector for national greenhouse gas reporting. To address the lack of data on carbon sequestration by such trees, Teagasc are undertaking a research project called “Farm-Carbon – Farm Hedgerows and Non-forest Woodland Carbon” which may provide for these trees to be counted in the inventory in the future.
In addition to the tree planting proposed under CAP, my Department will continue to promote afforestation including broadleaf planting to contribute to the achievement of our climate change targets.
